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Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed back on President Trump’s claims that the US needs Greenland because of growing international security concerns coming from Russia and China.
Some shit you should know before you read: Shortly after President Trump won the election, he began calling for Greenland to become part of the United States, citing a mix of strategic, economic, and national security reasons. Trump has argued that as Arctic ice continues to melt, new trade routes are opening through the region—routes that geopolitical rivals like China and Russia could exploit. He warns that without US control or influence in Greenland, the area risks becoming militarized by foreign powers, threatening global stability and American interests. Trump has also highlighted the island’s vast reserves of rare earth materials and the need to install advanced early warning systems in the Arctic to monitor potential missile threats. These proposals have sparked anger from some US lawmakers and many in Greenland, where there’s strong support for independence.
What’s going on now: While speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed any idea that the Kremlin is involved or causing President Trump‘s push to acquire Greenland, stressing that the matter is solely between the United States and Denmark. He warned against dismissing Trump’s ambitions as political theater, saying, “It is a profound mistake to treat it as some preposterous talk by the new US administration. Nothing of the sort.”
Putin said that the United States’ interest in the Arctic island has “deep historical roots,” pointing out that “the United States had such plans as far back as the 1860s” and had formally offered to buy Greenland from Denmark after World War II. He added, “It is obvious that the United States will continue to consistently advance its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic.”
This comes as Putin warned of escalating geopolitical competition in the Arctic, particularly as NATO expands its presence in the region. He criticized Western military exercises and strategic posturing in the Far North, saying, “NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts and are practicing the use of troops in these conditions.” Pointing to Finland and Sweden’s recent entry into the alliance, Putin said that Russia had no issues with either country in the past, but their new alignment is now “creating problems.”
Because of this, Putin said Russia would continue building out its Arctic defense strategy. He said, “We are closely monitoring the development of the situation, building an adequate response line, increasing the combat capabilities of the armed forces and modernizing military facilities.”
